Monday, May 14, 2007

This is the sort of article that makes one wonder whether one is going to have any jobs at all in a year or two.

Konrad von Finckenstein has called for an extensive review of CRTC rules and policies for broadcasting, suggesting big changes are in the works for the federal regulator, which is in need of some "rebalancing."

"There is no doubt that a new wind is blowing," von Finckenstein told the annual conference of the B.C. Association of Broadcasters late last week in Penticton.

"We have a government that is very keen on less regulation, and that has directed us to accept market forces as the default and regulation as the exception."

The problem, of course, is that "deregulation" probably doesn't mean "stop protecting the Canadian broadcasters from US signal." It means, "continue allowing Canadian broadcasters to block out US signals, but don't expect them to produce any Canadian content." Right now CTV (a Canuck broadcaster) can buy CSI, and lay its own ads over CBS's content.

US broadcasters can reach, oh, say, 80% of the Canadian population; and of course, US satellite networks could reach 100%, if they were allowed to sell into Canada. If Canadian broadcasters really did have to compete with US broadcasters, then they would have to invest heavily in Canadian content. Who's going to watch Grey's Anatomy on Global when they can watch it on ABC? The only way they'd get any audience at all would be to offer shows that the US broadcasters aren't offering, that speak to Canadians.

I suspect thought that the Conservative's "deregulation" rap, like the Bushies', doesn't mean "let market forces work," which is a point of view I can respect. It means "protect corporations from the little people," which is not the same thing, at all.